VATICAN CITY, APR 8, 2003 (VIS) - The Numismatic Office of Vatican City will issue a special series of Vatican Euro coins on April 10 to mark the 25th year of Pope John Paul's papacy. The eight coins (1 and 2 Euro coins and 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 Eurocents) will bear the year "2003" and the legend "The 25th year of the Pontificate of His Holiness John Paul II". Euro coins, minted by individual countries, have a European theme on one side and a national image on the other side. For the Vatican coins, the national side has the profile of Pope John Paul, Sovereign of Vatican City State, the words "Città del Vaticano" (Vatican City) and 12 stars. Sculpted by Guido Veroi, 65,000 sets of the eight coins were minted and sell for Euro 15 per set. A proof version set of the same eight coins, which includes a silver medal on the theme "Art interprets Art: Homage to Leonardo" will also go on sale on April 10 at a price of Euro 78. Both sets of coins come in silver holders (the proof version in a special box) to mark the 25th or Silver Anniversary of John Paul II's pontificate. On March 20, the Vatican's Philatelic Office and Poland jointly issued 25 stamps, one for each year of the Holy Father's papacy. The first stamp for 1978 depicts the Pope on the central loggia of St. Peter's Basilica as he appears to the world for the first time after his election. Remaining stamps commemorate highlights - travels, documents and other events - of his pontificate. The Philatelic Office also, for the first time in its history, issued a silver postage stamp (silver title 925/1000), depicting Pope John Paul, the words "Città del Vaticano" and in the lower, left corner, the Pope's coat-of-arms.

BUDDHISTS, CATHOLICS MEET FOR DIALOGUE AND MEDITATION

 WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Fourteen Buddhists and 14 Catholics met in northern California for four days of dialogue and silent meditation March 20-23. The Northern California Chan/Zen-Catholic Dialogue - the first in an anticipated series of four annual meetings - was held at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas, a Buddhist university and monastic community in Talmage, about 110 miles north of San Francisco. Chan and Zen are the respective Japanese and Chinese names for a meditative school of Buddhism. Co-sponsors of the dialogue were the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Dharma Realm Buddhist Association, which runs the university and monastery, and the San Francisco Zen Center. Dharma is the term in Buddhist thought for duty or the moral and natural law that governs all things in the universe. During the meeting each of the participants spoke on what it means for him or her to follow Christ or the way of the Bodhisattvas, enlightened beings. Each speaker also distributed a short text on the theme.

 -Catholic News Service

CATHOLIC OFFICIAL ASKS U.S. TO PROTECT IRAQI REFUGEES

 WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The United States "bears a heavy burden, now and after the war," to assist Iraqi civilians displaced by the fighting, said a U.S. Catholic official in congressional testimony. The United States must cooperate with Iraq's neighbors in setting up programs to protect civilians fleeing from the conflict and to provide resettlement in other Middle Eastern countries "for refugees unable to return to Iraq," said Father William Headley, Catholic Relief Services deputy executive director for policy and strategy issues. The United States "should accept the long-term responsibility to help Iraqis build a just and enduring peace" while helping solve other Middle East problems such as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, he said. Father Headley asked the United States to seek broad-based international support in rebuilding Iraq and to work with the United Nations and private organizations to provide humanitarian assistance. The CRS official spoke April 2 before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Export Financing and Related Programs.

-Catholic News Service